Complications
by aidni999
Summary: It's been two years since the Avengers Initiative was formed and Loki's army was defeated. Or was it? Loki has resurfaced, escaped from his prison on Asgard, and the Avengers can not defeat him... not alone. Can an eleven year old girl who won't even concede to having powers help?
1. Chapter 1: Welcome back

**First fanfic ever I'm pretty nervous about this but hope people like it. Please review with what you think. I don't own the avengers, only my OC Miri who isn't even in this chapter.**

Tony Stark lay on his couch, staring at the glass ceiling and ignoring the bustle around him. Since Loki had returned to Asgard with his brother, things had been pretty quiet around the Avenger Tower—as quiet as things get with the Earths most powerful people living in one building. Tony was still in his Iron Man suit, the helmet retracted but the stiff metal neck of the armour keeping his head several inches off of the couch.

Natasha Romanoff strode in, scarlett curls bouncing. Since the alien attack, she had let her hair grow down to a few inches above her elbows.

"Wake up," she snapped. Tony jerked to attention and rolled off the couch. "Wha—whasgoinon?"

"Fury wants to see you—us. _Now._"

He pushed himself up, the suit creaking and groaning. "What about capsicle?"

Natasha strode past the black leather couch. "I've got Banner, you get Rogers."

"Whatever you say, Your Highness," he mumbled under his breath, just soft enough for Natasha not to hear him. He stretched and yawned and made off towards Steve's room.

* * *

Natasha heard Tony mumbling about her under his breath and refrained smacking him only because she didn't really mind the 'Your Highness' part. She normally was pretty rough with her wake up calls, but she always treaded carefully around Bruce Banner in the mornings. He was always temperamental before 10 in the morning.

"Bruce," she called softly. "Bruce."

He woke suddenly, jerking up to a sitting position, eyes wide open and flaring bright green before subsiding to their usual brown.

"Sorry for waking you, doctor. Fury needs us."

_I have prepared your coffee, sir, _came Jarvis's cool voice. Bruce ran a hand through his brown-almost-black hair and got to his feet stretching. "What is it?"

"Not sure, but he sounded nervous."

"Stark?"

"Waking up Captain."

Bruce nodded and rolled out of his bed noticing for the first time that his blankets were in a tangled mess on the ground. His eyes had shadows underneath them, as if he'd barely slept at all. Natasha pretended not to notice and left the room respectfully, leaving Bruce staring at the mirror and rubbing his neck, which was a mixture of flesh and Amazon green.


	2. Chapter 2: We can beat him, right?

**I don't own the Avengers.**

**Duh.**

They were ushered in hurrily by Agent Hills. Their spirits weren't lifted by the anxious look on her normally blank face.

Once they were all cramped into the conference room, Fury finally spoke—or at least he was going to before Tony butted in.

"What's going on? Why are we here?"

"Mr. Stark, if you would take the time to listen, you might know. You are here because Loki has escaped."

Almost before he had finished talking, the room erupted into shouts and yells.

"But he can't—"

"How could Thor—"

"Coming back—"

"Reindeer Games—"

Natasha rolled her eyes, put two fingers in her mouth, and blew. The whistle whipped through the room, silencing every one. Bruce was breathing heavily, eyes shut and unmoving.

It was Tony, of course, who first had the confidence to break the silent spell. "Is he coming back? To Earth?"

Fury rubbed his temples and sighed. "Most definitely. But... something about him has changed. We did constant checks on him while he was imprisoned. The week he disappeared from his cell, his gamma signature had increased significantly. We were going to do some tests, but the next day..."

"He might not even return to Earth," pointed out Captain Rogers. "He could find some other planet to take over."

"He will." Doctor Banner spoke for the first time, startling everyone. "Loki basically runs on pride. When we defeated him, it was a huge blow. That was a challenge to him, and he _will _do all he can to beat that challenge."

"He's right," put in Natasha. "And he'll be fueled by anger, and humiliation."

Steve turned to Fury. "When you said his gamma signature had increased, does that mean he's more powerful?"

"Than ever," confirmed the director, nodding.

"Well, we can still beat him." No one answered the inventor.

"Right?"

* * *

"We've got a match."

Steve leaned over the shoulder of the technician who had spoken. "Where is he?"

The young woman looked over her shoulder at the super soldier suspiciously. "Uh, Kansas City. Missouri."

"Oooh! Barbeque!"

"No, Tony," sighed Natasha.

"Barbeque after?"

"That could be arranged."

Everyone turned at the new voice.

"Barton!"

Clint Barton stood behind them, suited up and looking amused. Behind _him_, and standing several feet taller, Thor, the Norse god of thunder.

Natasha cracked a rare smile and Steve cordially pretended not to catch it.

"It has been long," rumbled Thor, crushing Tony in a characteristic embrace.

"Yeah, um, nice—seeing—you. Again."

Natasha gently pried Tony from Thor. "We doing this, or what?"

Arrows were sharpened, guns loaded, shields polished. Tony oiled the Iron Man suit and Thor sat, staring at Mjolnir, looking increasingly disaproving. Dr. Banner scratched his neck and looked around. "Uh, we really shouldn't be doing this."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Chillax, big guy. It'll be fine. guy hasn't even had time to prepare. No army, no portal, no nukes. It'll ten times easier than the last."

"Except for the fact that Loki is now ten times more powerful."

Tony scratched his head. "No one said ten times."

"I did." Thor stepped forward. "None of you saw him. He is beyond the power of gods. He has mastered control of the elements and he can bring down an army with a wave of his hand."

As if on cue, the Iron Man suit's glowing eyes flickered. Natasha frowned. "Seriously?"

"Yes, well, an actual wave." Thor frowned. "Loki—summons waves. With his... hands. Yes."

"Don't overwork yourself, Point break," muttered Tony. "We still got a lot to do."

"You're right."

The team whipped around, looking guilty as Director Fury cornered them. "But you're not going to be doing what you think."


	3. Chapter 3: Unexpected Confrontations

**This next section is kind of gross. It actually happened to me and my dad, both hilarious and disgusting. Put the Avengers in our places—comic gold. Kind of.**

**I don't own the Avengers, unfortunately, because if I did Avengers 2 would be out by now and Will Ferrel would be in it. Enjoy!**

It was more than awkward.

The Avengers sat in the 'well waiting' room, trying to look inconspicuous. Tony was playing with the bead tracks, Natasha was bored, Thor was cramped, and Bruce was slowly turning green.

Natasha snapped back to Earth and noticed Bruce's skin tone. "Bruce! Bruce, calm down. Why are you mad?"

He turned to her. "What the—no, I'm not turning into the Hulk. Just... overhearing the conversation."

At first she was confused. But as soon as he mentioned it, she could hear every word the woman in the other room was saying. She was on the phone, and it wasn't pretty.

"Yeah, they're long and thin... like worms..."

Bruce shoved his fingers in his ears and began singing under his breath. Steve looked up, confused, then widened his eyes and looked back down. Tony was oblivious, of course, and Barton was trying to explain elevators to Thor.

"Check at midnight, that's when they come out..."

Steve gagged and mimicked Bruce, shoving his fingers in his ears.

Natasha bit back a smile.

Thor shifted into a more comfortable position, elevators forgotten, and looked up, confused. "Who is the fair lady speaking with? And what is it that they have need to scrape off?"

Clint furrowed his brow, caught some of the conversation, and put his hand over his mouth, puffing out his cheeks.

Natasha smirked, and then Steve was up, dragging them all out of the waiting room to the desk where Agent Hills was waiting politely for the clerk to finish her phone call to sign the papers she held. Steve grabbed her wrist and yanked her away. "Come on little Miss Muffet, we've gotta go."

She twisted her arm away from him. "I have to get these papers signed."

"And I have to get a barf bag."

Agent Romanoff put a hand on his arm. "Maria, maybe the boys and I should go wait outside."

She frowned. "Fury gave me specific orders not to let you out of my sight."

Natasha pulled Tony away from the bead track. "Yeah, I know, but we won't move. Just... getting some fresh air."

"Just don't lose my job." The two women shared a smile as the master assassin escorted the men outside. "I'll do my best."

They stood at the back of the doctors office, which was a depressing, grimy alleyway. Tony leaned his head back, staring at the smoggy sky and wishing he had his suit with him. Steve was dry-heaving into a paper back, and Natasha and Barton were arguing about Budapest.

"Well, this is new."

They all spun around. A certain familiar figure stood, leaning against the brick wall of the doctors office. His dark hair was as long and greasy as ever, and his green eyes glinted with malice.

"Loki."

It wasn't a question. Tony _really _wished he had his suit now. Steve dropped his barf bag and Thor lifted his hand, summoning his hammer. They were completely unprepared. Natasha slowly and subtly grabbed the gun strapped to her back. Loki wasn't holding his scepter, but that certainly didn't mean he was unarmed.

"What do you want?"

A stupid question. Stalling. Stalling.

Loki laughed, and his laugh hadn't changed either, always the same, always.

Tony edged to the side. Mjolnir whooshed in the distance. Not close enough.

"I must admit, I've missed you all dearly."

"Sure you have, Reindeer Games. Sure."

"Oh, I'm not lying! I've waited for our reunion for two long years!"

"Well, you certainly haven't changed a bit."

Loki grimaced. "The joys of enchanted prisons."

Natasha could feel her gun. Bruce forced down the Hulk. Mjolnir was getting closer.

Loki held out a hand and it lit on fire. Bruce jumped back and Thor widened his eyes. "Who wants to be toasted first?"

Mjolnir hit Thor's hand with a satisfying _smack_. Bruce erupted into the Hulk, and Natasha pulled out her gun and fired.

The bullet hit him in the chest—or it would have, had he not incinerated it instantly. Despite himself, Thor winced when he heard the gunfire. Natasha stepped to the side and fired again and again, the same happening every time. There were confused shouts in the distance. The police would be here soon—or worse, unarmed citizens. Tony scowled. _He _was an unarmed citizen, for God's sake. The most he and Barton and Steve could do was stay out of the way.

The Hulk roared and launched itself onto Loki, who was deterred enough that he did not block Natasha's next bullet.

It skimmed his side, though it caused enough damage that he crumpled underneath the Hulk, unready. Thor snapped to reality and lifted Mjolnir. Natasha was out bullets.

Loki struggled for a moment under the monster, who roared right back, then went limp.

Natasha tapped her earpiece. "Director Fury? We've got Loki."

Suddenly, Agent Hill was next to her, breathing heavily. "What... Loki... gunshots..."

"It's okay, we got it under control," assured Tony as Loki exploded.

Kind of.

Hulk was thrown into the side of the wall with Hill, Natasha, and Barton. They all crumpled, Barton mumbling incoherently, Natasha's eyes rolled back into her head.

"Under control, Stark."

"Totally."

Loki turned to face them, eyes wild and his hair smoking. Rubble was everywhere and car alarms were sounding in the distance, as well as police

sirens.

Thor lifted Mjolnir. "Don't do this, brother."

Loki laughed. "I am in the wrong, as usual."

"This doesn't have to end badly."

"You're right." Loki flicked his hand, and Thor jerked to the side, as if hit by an unseen barrier. Steve took a deep breath and grabbed a trash can lid, holding it in front of him like a shield. "Boy, this brings back memories."

"Uh, capsicle..."

Loki turned towards them, his taut smile unnaturally wide. "I'd nearly forgotten. The Frozen Man." He lifted his hand, but Tony could see the effort it cost him. He acted as if manipulating the elements was no more difficult than lifting a Frisbee, but beads of sweat ran down his forehead. It was taxing.

Steve lifted his sheild, ever heroic.

"A fitting defeat," remarked Loki.

A _crack_ besides Tony and the sound of rushing water, and when he turned, Captain America was completely encased in ice.

Tony swallowed. Without his suit, he wasn't much in a fight. Loki walked toward him almost leisurely.

"I'm not even going to waste my energy fighting you. And it's not your time—any of yours—to die, really, although the Star Spangled Man might—but he is of no use to me. You will pass on a message."

Tony swung a fist at his head and Loki grabbed it easily. "Don't tire yourself, either."

"You look thinner. How much does that little earth magic you pulled there take out of you? Five pounds? Ten? You really need to stop dieting."

Loki growled at him. "You worthless mortal. You were all made to serve me, nothing more."

"Yeah you know, I'm still working on that. You know, I just don't think I can really live up to my full potential unless—"

Loki grabbed him by the collar. "Listen well, Stark. Run back and tell your _agents _that I'm back. And I'm stronger than ever. I am giving them one last chance to bow to me or I will obliterate all of you."

"You want fries with that?"

Loki's grip loosened slightly. "What are fries?"

"You know what, screw that, you're obviously more of a Tater Tot guy."

Loki threw him into the wall in disgust. The police had arrived.

"I will see you all soon, my pawns."

**HEEHEEHEEHEE I almost made this a really really bad cliffhanger ending but I'm just not evil enough. :( PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review I REALLY want to know what you guys think of this. Please tell me how I'm doing with the funny-Tony dialogue(the movie took all the good material!) because I'm afraid I'm trying to hard. This is the first time... wow, this is the first time anyone but me has read my writing, yeesh. PLEASE REVIEW AND FOLLOW I can't wait to see how this turns out! I mean, I know, cause it's my story, I didn't really mean it like that, I just... whatever.**

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	4. Chapter 4:That's not my name

**AARGH! I'm so mad!**

**I won't tell you why.**

**It's about Avengers Two.**

**Cookies if you can guess why!**

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE R&R I REALLY want to hear reader feedback, thank you, anyhoo, here's another chapter I've been kinda working on for a while, I know, all of them are super short, but I felt like updating, soooo... yeah!**

**Disclaimer: It's called fanfiction. I'm not even sure why this is necessary, but I didn't do it on any of the earlier chapters, soooo... I don't own the Avengers.**

**Doy.**

Natasha groaned and rubbed her head. The room was swaying sickeningly. A pair of eyes was glaring in front of her.

"Geroff," she mumbled.

"She's alive!"

Her vision focused and she could make out Tony scowling in front of her, Thor, looking a little dazed, and Steve, looking... frozen?

Clint tugged on her arm. "Please don't fall back asleep, Tasha, we've got an emergency."

Natasha rubbed her head. "I'm up, I'm up."

Tony leaned back, giving her room to sit up. Her vision was mildly tunneled, so it took a while, looking around the room, to realize that everyone was there. Even Steve.

Yep, he was frozen.

"What..." she struggled to get the words out. "What happened to Steve?"

"Loki," answered Tony shortly.

"His magic... It is unlike any I have ever seen. It was forbidden to learn those practices on Asgard."

"What's wrong with Mother Nature?"

Thor looked at Tony gravely. "Controlling the elements gives you much more power than you think."

"And that—" interrupted Fury, striding into the room, "Is why our next target is Ivy Rose."

* * *

"Ivy Rose? What kind of a name is that?"

Natasha rolled her eyes, as she was feeling much more like herself. "Forget it, Tony. Just get the woman."

"Not a woman."

"What?"

Natasha tapped her head piece and the jet dipped slightly as she lifted her hand. She cursed and righted it. "What do you mean?"

Tony's voice came through the intercom. "I see her. Matches the description, minus the fact that she's not even a teenager yet."

The jet dipped again. "How old?"

Silence as gears whirred and little beeps were heard in the background. "Uh, Jarvis says she eleven."

"You're sure it's her?"

"Uh, Blonde hair, brown eyes, freckles, tall—for her age."

_It is indeed Ms Rose, sir._

"Fabulous. Thanks, Jarvis."

"Alright, I'm going in."

"Stark! You can't just kidnap a little girl. This changes the entire plan!"

"Does it?"

"Stark, I'll kill you."

"Fine, fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to her?"

"Any ideas?"

Natasha made an exasperated noise. "Fury! Why didn't you tell us this? It's kind of critical information!"

"You wouldn't have agreed to go."

"Really," mused Tony, watching the pre-teen as she talked with a friend. She certainly didn't look suspicious. "And why is that?"

Fury could be heard sighing. "You know why."

Natasha. "Well, how is she supposed to help us defeat Loki?"

"I got the girl."

"Stark! What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Tony get your #% over to HQ right now. Fury... never mind."

Natasha skillfully piloted the jet across the bay to the Helicarrier, which was waiting, concealed on the edge of town. She saw a flash of golden light that signified Iron Man entering the great ship.

"Tony, what did you do?"

"Anesthesia."

* * *

"She's eleven! This complicates everything!"

"It doesn't have to," grumbled Barton, but shut up quickly under Natasha's death glare.

"We just have to put her back and find another way to defeat him."

"Put her back—she's not a stolen toy."

"Yes, Bruce, I—"

"Honestly, it's better here."

Everyone whipped around.

Up close, she looked even younger. She held her head perfectly straight. Her golden-blonde hair fell to her mid-back, and she _was _tall—for her age. She could have passed for thirteen, yet she still looked seven.

"Um—I—uh—"

"Hi," put in Agent Romanoff. "Um, how—"

"Long was I standing there?" finished the girl. "Long enough."

"This must be pretty overwhelming for you," said Tony sympathetically. The group turned towards him in amazement. "I mean, meeting the Avengers? Pre-tty cool."

Natasha rolled her eyes, along with Ivy. "I've seen you before."

"Yeah, but in person?" maintained Tony.

"Not all of you. Him." She pointed to Barton. Even he looked confused. "Me?"

She scowled at him, as if he'd personally offended her. "You didn't actually _speak _to me. Just my parents."

"Your parents—?"

"Were SHIELD agents."

"Were? They—"

"Died. Six years ago."

"You have an irritating habit of finishing people's sentences, did you know that?" asked Tony as Barton's eyes widened in realization.

"Your parents were—"

"Beth and Michael Evanson."

"So why is your last name Rose?"

She glared at Steve(succesfully defrosted), who had spoken. "It _isn't_."

"But your file said—"

"My _name _is Miri Evanson."

Natasha whacked Clint in the stomach as he opened his mouth again. Miri's lips curled into a faint smile that disappeared quickly. "Why am I here?"

"Um, actually we don't—"

"You're _here _because of your blood samples."

Fury walked into the room. He looked uncharacteristically nervous. Miri's gaze hardened as it lit upon him. "Where would _you _get _my_ blood samples?"

"Ms. Calvestone."

"What?!"

"Wait, can someone please tell us what's going on here?" Bruce interjected. Thor was staring at the young girl with a peculiar expression on is face, Steve was frowning, Natasha looked passive, and Tony looked irritated.

Fury sighed. "Because she was a SHIELD agent's child, we took blood tests every week. Her parents, her mother at least, had small… odd abilities. Her parents did the tests for her before the accident–"

"It wasn't an accident."

"So at the orphanage where she was registered, an undercover agent, Jean Calvestone, took the tests."

"And?"

"_And_, Mir—Miss Evanson, though the change was gradual, your blood has a similar toxicity to Loki's. _And _a slight gamma signature."

"Are you saying I'm magical?"

"I believe I am."

Miri looked shocked. As did everyone else.

"You've got to be kidding me." Steve shot Tony a warning look, but Tony plowed on. "She's eleven! She's supposed to defeat Loki? She couldn't step on an ant!"

She lunged at him, but Barton and Bruce held her back. She sagged suddenly. "He's right. Your blood test thingy must be wrong. Sorry to disappoint, but the only thing I can do that's out of the ordinary is calculus."

"You can not."

"Try me, Lancelot."

"All right, what's"

"STOP!" Everyone looked at thor as he spoke for the first time. He blushed slightly. "It's just… you're wrong."

Miri furrowed her brow. "About calculus? Because my math teacher said—"

"No, not about your Midgardian maths. About the blood sample. you have the same aura as my brother. I can sense magic."

"Oooo-kay."

"His brother is Loki," explained Tony."

"I know!" She scowled at him. "But you're all wrong."

"Your aura glows," said Thor helpfully.

Miri stalked out of the conference room.

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	5. Chapter 5: Well, That Went Well

Steve jogged out with her. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere where everyone isn't insane."

"What are you going to do? Swim?"

"If I have to."

She kept going and lunged off the edge of the Helicarrier.

Before Steve even knew what he was doing, he had stumbled forward and grabbed her by the collar.

"Put me down!" she shrieked.

"You can't jump."

"I can do whatever I want."

"Not commit suicide."

She paused her struggle for a moment in confusion, and Steve took the opportunity to grab her wrists and showed her the huge spinning engines she would have fallen into had she jumped as the Helicarrier rose out of the ocean.

"Thanks," she muttered grudgingly, yanked free her arm, walking over to get a closer look at the engines. The Helicarrier hovered only a few yards above the water.

Arguing could be heard in the distance.

"I'm not saying… It's just… She…"

"She has a very… aura!" Thor. "I know it! I've known my brother all my life and visited him every day in prison! Her… her… signature?"

Tony walked on deck and sighed. "Thor, just as much as the next guy do I—"

"Just—" Bruce interrupted. "Uh, here." He turned to Miri. "Try something. Concentrate… on, on, this."

He turned to grab something, and Miri lifted her arms over her head and executed a flawless front flip into the water, in between the engines so as not to get killed.

"Oh my gawd," gasped Tony, running to the edge. "Steve—"

He was interrupted by a second splash as Captain America jumped in after the girl.

He swam quickly, with long, powerful strokes, but Miri was surprisingly fast and had something of a head start.

Not as fast, of course, as Captain America, but impressive.

He grabbed her and she screamed in frustration. Somehow Fury was next to Tony watching the spectacle with his one good eye. "She just won't give up, will she?" he murmured. He almost sounded awed.

Tony glared at him. "This is not something to admire."

Fury scowled. Amazing, really, how he could give an arsenal of dirty looks with just one eye.

She went limp suddenly, and Steve, unprepared, loosened his grip and she dove, deep into the ocean.

"Steve!"

Captain America gulped and dove down after her.

You could hear a pin drop.

And then Miri flew through the air and landed on the deck, shivering. Clint and Tony rushed forward and grabbed her hands, stopping her from any further escape attempts. Clint glared at her. "We're not trying to hurt you."

She returned his look. "But you won't let me go."

He wouldn't look her in the eye.

"I knew it."

"You—"

"I can't help you!"

"Yes, you can!"

She wrenched her wrist away from them and rubbed it, glaring at Clint sourly.

"We're just trying to help," pleaded Tony.

"Well, don't expect me to return the favor!"

"I thought you said it was better here."

"Before everyone got convinced that I had superpowers!"

"Not superpowers—"

"Just leave me alone!"

She stomped through the halls in the lower decks of the Helicarrier, not knowing where she was going and not caring either. She flung a door open and flounced through the room to a large window overlooking the ocean. She was about the slam her fist into it before she was flung into the walls.

"What the—"

"Sorry," mumbled a buff guy as he fiddled around with a syringe, not looking very sorry at all. "Director Fury's orders."

She ducked under a table and out the door and sprinted down the hall past a young woman whose dark hair was up in a bun. The woman gave a start and grabbed Miri by the wrist with an iron grip.

"Let me go!" she shrieked as the syringe entered her neck and all went black.

Tony stomped down the halls with Steve, Clint and Natasha in his wake.

"She's a fast little bugger," commented Clint as they jogged through the Helicarrier.

"Fast," snarled Tony. "Clever. Stupid. Impudent. Young. Stubbourn—"

"Tony!"

Natasha grabbed his wrist and very nearly judo-flipped him over her shoulder, but stopped herself just in time. "Get over it Tony. So, she can execute a flawless front flip into the water. So, she's fast. Smart-mouthed. You just don't like her because you're so alike—that last part, at least."

"Hey!"

They were interrupted by a slamming sound in the room ahead of them. Someone creamed something, and someone replied. A few seconds later—speak of the devil!—Miri came tearing out of the room with a burly agent hot on her heels. She sprinted past Agent Hill, who grabbed her by the wrist. Natasha was just beginning to run forwards as the male agent stabed a large syringe into her neck and slammed her up against the wall with one meaty hand until she stopped squirming.

"Hey!"

The buff agent took one look at Natasha and ran down the hall, squealing.


End file.
